The Last Oath

Mediocre Zombie Show (ft. stepbrother romance?)

The Last Oath really gave us a unique concept for a BL, but unfortunately the execution was not up to par with my expectations. Sections of the show were really fun, and other parts felt like we were rushing through or cutting scenes. I think if the show had more time to develop the main plot, it would have been a lot better, but it felt like they really wanted to put in a lot of fight scenes and unnecessarily forceful makeout scenes. Still, I appreciate how they tried to do something new! But I HATED the zombie stepbrother romance part...don't surprise me with stepbrother romance I DON'T WANT IT.

After losing his brother, Lin Zai has been trying to survive the zombie apocalypse like everyone else. He's got a few people banded together that help each other, and they're managing thus far. When A Leh shows up at his camp, Lin Zai can't resist helping him. However, it turns out A Leh has been searching for an immune subject to take in for research purposes. - and Lin Zai happens to be immune. While A Leh attempts to carry out his duty, unexpected feelings develop between A Leh and Lin Zai.

I don't know that I would genuinely recommend this show unless you really love zombie shows. Not because it's filled with zombies, but because it's not good enough to recommend otherwise. The relationship between the main characters is rushed, and the conflicts are repetitive. It was still a fun watch (except for the stepbrothers. I'm still mad) but not something that I was on the edge of my seat for or super looking forward to each week.

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A Zombie BL That Actually Understands the Apocalypse

Survival Comes First
What impressed me most about The Last Oath is how seriously it treats its setting. This is not simply a romance with a few zombies wandering around in the background. The characters need shelter, food, supplies and protection, and even entering an abandoned building can become a life or death situation. There is a constant feeling that nowhere is completely safe, which makes the quieter scenes just as important as the action. 🧟

The World Feels Empty and Dangerous
I really love the visual atmosphere.

Action With Actual Consequences
Another surprise was how intense some of the zombie encounters are. These infected are FAST, so characters cannot simply stand around deciding what to do. People panic, mistakes happen and survival often comes down to seconds. A Lie arriving to save the group was such a satisfying moment because by then the episode had already built enough danger for his appearance to feel earned rather than convenient.

More Than Just Two Handsome Leads
Of course Chen Liang and Ming Han are very easy on the eyes, but I am glad the series is giving me more than visuals. Lin Zai's immunity creates a bigger mystery surrounding the outbreak, while A Lie clearly has more going on beneath the surface. Their connection is still at the very beginning, and I actually hope the series takes its time developing it rather than rushing straight into romance.

The supporting group deserves some credit too. Watching ordinary people trying to work together and make survival decisions gives the story another layer beyond the main pairing. I already find myself wondering who is going to survive until Episode 24 and who is going to completely break under the pressure.

There are a few moments where AI are noticeable, but they are brief and honestly did not affect my enjoyment. When everything else is giving me an ambitious zombie survival story, strong action, interesting characters and BL all in the same series, a few seconds doesn’t matter, who cares 👬

Two episodes in and The Last Oath has already convinced me that this combination can actually work. It feels different from everything else I am currently watching, and instead of knowing exactly where the story is heading, I genuinely want to discover what happens next.
10000/10. Bring on the next outbreak. 🔥

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A dollar and a dream

2026 has witnessed a deluge of BLs from all corners of Asia, but only a select few have managed to stand tall all the way to the finish line. The Last Oath belongs to that elite club.
While 2026 has also been generously supplying us with red-flag Gongs, A Lei quietly strolled in, waved his muted green flag, and announced his arrival as one of the better Gongs of the year. No toxic fireworks, no Olympic-level manipulation, just a man who makes you wonder where did this guy come from?

Powered by a classic zombie-apocalypse storyline and some solid performances, the show managed to keep me hooked for most of its run. Most being the operative word here, because even the undead couldn't stop the occasional dip in my attention span. Nevertheless, it had enough going for it to keep me coming back for more.

Mr Chen and Chen shine as the main leads, delivering performances that hold the story together even when the plot occasionally decides to take a little detour. Meanwhile, the second couple gives them a serious run for their money. I would have loved to see more of their story (because apparently, giving us crumbs when we're clearly hungry is a universal BL production strategy), but they certainly make the most of their screen time. Every time they appear, they remind us that they, too, deserve their own little corner of the spotlight.
And a special shout-out to whoever was responsible for selecting the OST. That playlist is dangerously addictive. The zombie apocalypse may be busy threatening humanity, but the soundtrack is busy threatening my replay button. Priorities, people!

Bottom line: I thank the BL Gods for blessing us with this show in 2026. In a year peppered with the usual college romances, high-school crushes, and office romances where apparently everyone falls in love between meetings, The Last Oath offered a refreshing detour.
Honestly, after watching enough people fall in love in classrooms and corporate cubicles, watching romance survive a zombie apocalypse feels like a much-needed change of scenery. At least here, when someone says they're dying for you, there's a chance they might actually mean it

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china dares to give us what other’s can’t

It took me a long time to think if i’m going to start this drama because i’m a huge fan of Apocalypse danmei and i was afraid i’d get disappointed but DAMN i’m so happy i chose to watch it!!! this drama has set the bar high for apocalypse BLd to me, well, i’m sorry for future apocalypse dramas!!


let’s start off with the Story: although there are few minor plotholes especially nearing the end, the show never lacked giving us what makes sense, they never sugarcoated anything and everything that happened in this drama just all make sense to me!!!

Acting: DON’t even kid me with this one!!! Minghao and his cute dimples!! also the way he nails every expression in his role as A-Leh is just so amazing!! i understood his character more than others in the series!! although chen liang might have some scenes that really didn’t resonate with me, his acting is not bad for a first timer!! the way he delivers his dialogues are amazing as well!!! the 2nd CP did incredible as well, he yao successfully managed to get in my nerves LOL

Music: i like how they didn’t put loud asf music in NC scenes, i honestly don’t like watching zombie drama because i was traumatized by Train To Busan so the background music for the scenes with zombies distracted me successfully and made it less scary!!

Overall, this series is a must watch for people who loves something connected to apocalyptic universes. if you love apocalypse danmei, i’d recommend you watch this! though low budget, it exceeded my expectations as an avid reader and i know yours will too!!

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Way too much AI !

The amount of AI used in this show is atrocious. The music, the theme animation and some effects seemed weird/potentially AI to me (especially on the "brother" of the doctor)
I'll try to organize my thoughts here, so here we go.
Plot : it didn't convince me. A post-apocalyptic setting is pretty original for a BL, but the script ? I didn't feel the progression of the romance, both between the leads and the second leads. Sure, they are physically attracted by each other, but I didn't feel their emotional attachment at all.
Actors : they are handsome, but once again, I didn't feel the emotions of the main leads, especially the mc. I feel like the script and the lack of details about the characters played a big role in it, so I won't criticize them as actors. I hope they'll get a series where they can truly display their acting skills.
Characters : too much archetypes are used here. Most of their backstories seemed cliché and predictable, especially between the second leads. For a BL with that much episodes, I think they had the place to make the story and the characters way deeper, while some scenes didn't seem necessary to me.
Music : as I said, except the one the mc sings in episode 4, everything is AI generated, and I could guess it pretty well. For a show that has two singers as main actors, I would have expected better.

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so much more than I expected

We got a zombie bl and from hong kong no less?
I was sat and ready. I love watching zombie themed series and throw it in a bl, you KNOW I am here for it.

I wasn't expecting a whole lot, but it really surprised me. The actors did really well in my opinion. I was on my toes time and time again.
When Aleh and Lin Zai found that family I knew something was up, I just couldn't put my finger on it, and the cannibal twist to it was EVERYTHING. I think those episodes were some of my favorite.
I think this series was unique in a lot of ways while sticking with some of the zombie apocalypse tropes you usually see.

Episode 23 was whiplash, Herin showing up to take Lin Zai had me anxious but our boy Aleh said absolutely fkn not only to have it end on the opposite parties involved and He Yao tying Aleh up.
Him and Changhuan's story does absolutely tug on the heart strings but He Yao fully operates on "if I can't be happy then no one can"
The last two episodes had me stressed tf out and begging for a happy ending (it was).
I could easily watch 24 more episodes of this.

My only complaint is the ai that was used for the intro and song which is why I gave the 5 rating I did. I really enjoyed the music, but I just can't get behind cutting costs and using ai bc its "easier" or "less work" I would have rather they fully supported animators and artists instead.

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Love? Maybe in Stockholm? But the Music!

I love love love zombie stuff but I don't love this much:
I've watched dozens of zombie movies and series. BTW Korea produces some of the best zombie content ('Train to Busan' -- absolute best zombie movie ever; 'Happiness' best zombie series; and weird variations like, 'Badland Hunter' and 'Sweet Home' (all 3 seasons). The American ones like 'The Walking Dead' and even Zombieland (1 & 2!) So when I read about this I was excited.

The post-apocalyptic landscapes and post-apocalyptic communities are really well thought out. The production values (tho. there is some dodgy AI in some scenes which makes buildings look like architectural models and the landscape look not quite 3D) are high. The acting by all the minor characters is of a high quality. And it is emotionally engaging that the communities that reflect Lin Zai's values are the successful ones.

The pacing overall is a bit odd. The beginning happened so quickly I couldn't quite understand what was going on. Then the wandering through the landscape; devolving into wilderness; was measured but interesting. It dragged over several episodes: despite a diabolical villain, exploiting Lin Zai's belief that open-heartedness is how humans as a species will survive.

I watched till the end to see how the relationship between the leads concluded. Though I haven't been invested in their relationship -- they didn't seem to have much chemistry. -- though both leads portrayed their characters very well (and cold A Lie has some very explanatory and slightly exculpatory back story)

CONCLUSION:
YAY -- ZOMBIE HEARTS AND FLOWERS! A VERY SATISFYING FINAL EPISODE THAT MAKES THE JOURNEY WORTHWHILE.

(My only real beef is that, early on, this promotes the HATEFUL TROPE of kind-hearted, warm Lin Zai falling for A Lie, the man who is going to deliver him to an uncertain future as a lab rat. That's not love - that's Stockholm Syndrome.)

**** NOW THE CONTROVERSIAL PART ***
I loved the soundtrack! The theme song is gorgeous and evocative. I know AI is the d*vil -- but I have been drawn to the dark side. The OST has been one of the things I've enjoyed the most! And the overall 10 rating is strongly influenced by that beguilement.

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KEEP AI SLOP AWAY FROM ART

AI needs to stay away from creative spaces. period.
I am disappointed because I desperately wanted this to be great, but idk.
The premise is fantastic. A zombie apocalypse BL. A breath of fresh air. Manhwa readers know how well such a plot can be executed. Do they do that here? I'll have to say no. There's a lot of inconsistencies & holes.
The obvious AI shitty music makes me want to throw my phone across the yard. Some of the special effects & the title sequence is also prompted. There has been great media before AI & is still after AI. There are literally a 100 other ways you can do this on a budget. Use them.
Lots of things that don't make logical sense. Like the magically appearing clothes & invisible neighbouring houses on aerial shots.
The make-up is atrocious, they look pastey white is most lightings.

The episodes are short & it has good pacing, so you won't get bored at all. It would've been soo much cooler if the makers had a better budget. I wish they would avoid these mistakes for their next project if there is one, because this one has potential.

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The Normalization of AI in Media is Dangerous

So far, good story, good acting. I've noticed a lot of complaints about the heavy use of AI in this series. I see both sides of the argument.

I understand a series of this quality, if it was done entirely with human labor, human creativity, etc, it would be quite costly. However, my biggest concern is that we as a global society start to normalize the use of AI in media.

We have reached a point where we do not know what is real and what is fake. Meaning societies are now exposed to crafty manipulation without much oversight. There should be clear warnings placed on series that use AI generated content.

Even the music is mostly AI generated. I don't know how how I feel about not having an artist to connect to a piece of work. The beauty of humanity is our uniqueness and our talent. When I went looking for the artist who performed the song at the end of episode 1, I was disappointed to not find it and then realize in the credits it's possibly AI generated. This realization is not just annoying, it feels like I can never form an attachment to this piece of work in the long term.

I suspect rewatch value on shows and movies will plummet, what will happen to cult classics and media that you resonate with because they are human?

I use AI daily for work, but in media, I just think the creative arts show now be tainted by this technology or at least heavily regulated.

I'm especially nervous about the continued use of AI in media as an American going into our next election season. Many people don't know how to spot AI generated content. Just imagine the confusion and misinformation we will deal with in 2027. This is a sad time.

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